


Every Time You Turn Around

by Fledge456



Category: Green Creek Series - T.J. Klune
Genre: 1 time he hears it outloud, 5 times Carter hears Timber's voice in his head, 5+1 Things, M/M, TW for mild torture, Will update tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-08-03 09:08:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16323341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fledge456/pseuds/Fledge456
Summary: At first, when Carter hears a strange voice in his head, he thinks the Omega infection is back to drag him under for good. The infection stays locked away, but the voice sticks around. It takes Carter a while to put the pieces together.orFive times Carter hears Timber's voice in his head, and the first time he hears it out loud.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the wonderful Lea for beta reading :))

Carter was sitting in his father’s study that now served as his, Kelly, and Joe’s office and toyed with the figures that made up the Bennett family finances. Of course there was no need to truly _worry_ about money. The Bennett Alphas had long ago made sure their pack would be well off for generations to come, but Thomas had instilled a sense of duty in his first born. Sure, Carter was never meant to be Alpha, but there were still ways that Carter could take care of his pack without fulfilling the Alpha role. But today had not come into the study looking to get any real work done. For Carter, his father’s study was the most comforting place in the Bennett house.

Books on Pacific-Northwest Lore and financial theory lined the walls on old walnut shelves to the right side of the room. On the left hung various diplomas and pack pictures. Beneath the pictures was the secondary desk that housed the computer and webcam used to contact the wolves back East. The main desk was home to another computer and more photos so that the pack could smile out at whoever was working. Behind the main desk was a big open window that overlooked the backyard. Sometimes, Carter thought that if he breathed in deep enough, he could still find Thomas’s scent lingering among the books.

The sun streamed through the picture window behind Carter. Normally, Cater welcomed the warmth that fell over his shoulders, but today it only served to warm him from the inside out in an uncomfortable way and made the headache pounding in his temples worse. The computer screen seemed too bright and the air was getting too stale. None of which were improved by the Timberwolf pawing outside the door. Carter occasionally let the wolf inside the office, but today he came in just wanting his dad. He wanted to keep the stresses of the present (the Timberwolf, Robert Livingstone, being an _omega for fuck’s sake_ ) away from the peace Carter found in the office, but they refused to stay locked away.

When Thomas was alive Carter knew he could find direction and purpose inside the bookcase encrusted walls. After his father’s death the office was where Carter would come to feel close to him again. He knew the rest of the pack sought the presence of their fallen alpha in the woods, but when Carter entered the office he felt as Thomas would walk through the door any moment and peer over Carter’s shoulder to check his excel sheets. An intense wash of _blue_ came over Carter. He wanted his dad. He wanted to go backwards in time. Carter sank in the chair and scrubbed his hands over his face. The Timberwolf outside let out a sharp whine outside the door. The headache pounding in his skull reached its peak and broke. A voice whispered through the balm of cool relief.

_Carter_

_Carter_

_Carter_

It sang to Carter from what felt like a great distance. The voice sounded desperate and strained. Carter’s heart pounded. Was Robert Livingstone trying to reach out through the door that held Carter’s omega at bay? The voice didn’t _feel_ evil or wrong, but the fear rose higher in Carter’s chest _. No._ No, the door that held back the omega _had_ to stay closed. He remembered teetering on the edge of that knife and the anger that clawed at his psyche. Carter threw all his energy against the corner of his mind that he never allowed himself to go to. Though the door remained closed, for a second Carter _couldn’t feel his pack_. The only thing there was a void that never failed to pull Carter down, down, down.

Dimly Carter registered a large bang then something soft, damp, and cold pressed into Carter’s bare elbow, just under the sleeve of his t-shirt. The shock of contact lifted Carter out of the dark. He looked down to see the obnoxiously big Timberwolf sniffing and nosing at Carter’s arm. A growl rumbled out of Carter trying to shoo his stupid shadow away _for two fucking seconds._ Footsteps pounded toward the office and Carter’s head snapped up. He noted briefly that the door was hanging by only one hinge. The wolf had broken down the door to come sniff at Carter.

“Are you kidding me?” Carter asked. The Timberwolf knit his brows together as if to say “Who me?” The wolf nosed his head under one of Carter’s hands insisting that Carter pet his ears. Carter huffed and gave in massaging the top of the wolf’s head. The pictures on the office wall shook a little when the Timberwolf thumped his tail, pleased that Carterwas paying attention to him.

 _Maybe he’s not that bad,_ Carter thought. But before the small grain of affection could take hold, Kelly skidded through the broken doorway. Kelly’s eyes landed first on his brother, then the Timberwolf, then the broken door.

“Are you okay? You were so _blue_ and then there was a big crash and then you were _gone._ Is it the omega? Did Timber break the door?”

“You sound like Joe.”

Kelly scowled at Carter before asking again, “Are you okay?”

This time Kelly reached down their bond, poking and prodding around Carter’s feelings like he was trying to diagnose what had just made Carter so upset. The Timberwolf whined again and Carter realized he had stopped petting the creature. Carter glared at him but resumed rubbing his ears before saying, “I’m okay Kelly.”

“Everyone okay in here?” Piped Robbie, just a few seconds behind Kelly. Only with the addition of Robbie did Carter finally notice the state of dishevelment his brother was in. The button of Kelly’s jeans was undone and his t-shirt looked like it had been hurriedly pushed back into place after being rucked up. A bright red splotch was blooming just above the collar. Robbie, on the other hand, was in much worse shape. His hair stuck up wildly and his glasses perched crookedly on his face. Carter was pretty sure Robbie’s shirt was on backwards too.

The two men seemed to become conscious of their appearance under Carter’s scrutiny. Kelly turned crimson and Robbie started to mutter and shuffle away. Then Carter sniffed the air, and _Oh my fucking God._

“Were you two _fucking?!_ ”

“No!” Kelly said defensively. Robbie bolted from the study in case Carter decided to defend Kelly’s honor. Carter threw his head back in a laugh that boomed through out the house.

“Dude! I just _cockblocked_ you! Oh my god”

“Robbie wait!” Kelly called before turning back to his brother, “You’re a dick. I was trying to make sure you weren’t dead asshole.”

“That’s sweet baby bro but go get that _ass!_ ”

Kelly glowered at Carter one last time before chasing after the bespeckled beta fleeing the possibility of an overprotective big brother. Carter chuckled again and looked down at the Timberwolf who was still content rest his head on Carter’s lap.

“C’mon, let take a break and go harass the lovebirds some more, see how scared of me Robbie is,” Carter said. The Timberwolf lifted his head and tilted it to the side before following Carter out of the room. Carter, so distracted that his brother has finally had a wakeup call about his mate, momentarily forgot about the voice that had whispered in his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bennett Boys go for a run, and the pack does some bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is very soft

The chirping of birds echoed throughout tall pine trees. Condensation dripped from pine needles onto the big ferns that grew up from the ground. Joe’s feet pounded on the path in the lead, and Kelly’s breathing came fast but easy from behind. The Timberwolf ran alongside him, fur swishing. Carter could hear all of it. He let it all ground him in the same way the Kelly did. Before Joe became Alpha their runs had just been the three of them, but recently the Timberwolf had joined them. Carter couldn’t tell if he minded his presence or not. On one hand these runs were supposed to be a brothers-only thing. Not even his brothers’ mates came along. On the other hand, Carter and the Timberwolf were a package deal that everyone was used to at this point.

At first it was annoying how the Timberwolf never left his side. Two months ago the thing had tried to break into the shower with him, and when Carter had started allowing the Timberwolf to sleep in his room the wolf took up way too much of the mattress. Though Carter would be hard pressed to admit it, he liked sleeping near the Timberwolf. Carter still had nightmares of the omega clawing at him from the inside. They were only dreams, but they still left Carter short of breath and holding the pack bonds close to his heart. The presence of the Timberwolf helped pull him back into himself after waking up. It called back memories of the Timberwolf standing by his side while he watched from inside a silver circle as his family fell apart. The Timberwolf had been a solid presence holding him up then, and the wolf continued to do so every time Carter woke up reeling.

Up ahead Joe rounded the path’s last curve before breaking through the tree line and into the backyard. Carter could remember coming back from the run that caused a major wakeup call for Ox. He remembered Ox’s face turning as red as the tomatoes he crushed when he ran into the house. Carter could also remember breaking through that tree line with his brothers and Gordo to less happy reaction. He could remember the stabs of fear and uncertainty, relief and sorrow coming from Joe when they all realized their pack was broken into two. Seeing strangers standing amongst his family as if the brothers were never needed had gutted Carter, and the feeling was only rebounded through his brothers. But then Ox, a human alpha, had let Elizabeth and Mark surge forward to greet them. Despite the confusion and emotions, Carter had known it would all be okay when his mother pulled him into her arms for the first time in three years.

Today the sight that greeted him was much closer to normal. It was late enough in the day that all of the pack was gathered at the Bennett house for Sunday dinner and to enjoy the slowly warming weather. The humans and wolves intermingled, and would have been indistinguishable to someone else. Carter had never seen his pack this big and happy. He could just barely hear Mark, Gordo, and Elizabeth talking softly in the house. The rest of the pack lounged in the sun, while pretending to set the outdoor table. Even Bambi had begun to attend the Sunday tradition as she warmed up to the concept of werewolves in her town. Ox got up from his place on the deck stairs and met Joe halfway before sweeping his mate into his arms. Carter could hear the rumbling chuckle that came from Joe in response. Kelly was still much more shy about greeting his mate, but he still allowed Robbie to give him a small kiss before running upstairs to claim the shower first.

Though Carter wasn’t the only single person in the pack, he suddenly felt like a third wheel. Seventh wheel was probably more accurate though. Logically he knew that not every wolf had or found a mate, and that it was perfectly normal for wolves to have long-term partnerships without a mating bond. But Carter couldn’t shake the feeling that he desperately wanted something like what his brothers, parents, and uncle had found.

Carter shook off his longing and approached the deck more slowly than his brothers, taking his time and letting his hand rest in the Timberwolf’s coat. Apparently the run hadn’t expended all of the wolf’s energy. For a second the wolf was content to let Carter pet, but then it wanted to play.

“Not this again!” Carter complained as the Timberwolf started to pull Carter around by his t-shirt. The Timberwolf shook its head, creating small tears in the fabric.

_cartercartercarter_

_cartercartercarter_

_cartercartercarter_

“You wanna play? Fine let’s play,” Carter declared and wriggled out of his shirt, leaving it dangling from the Timberwolf’s mouth. The wolf’s eyes lit up with delight and chased Carter around the yard. A peal of laughter worked its way out of Carter’s mouth as he swerved and ducked in an attempt to dodge the Timberwolf.

Occasionally he’d reach out to the wolf just long enough to ruffle it’s mane to get it’s attention before running away again. Soon his pack was watching and laughing along with him.

“Run Forrest! Run!” Jessie yelled and the Timberwolf nipped at Carter’s heels. Carter yelped as the big wolf finally tackled him near the house. It’s tail waved in the air. It looked like the wolf was grinning as it’s tongue lolled out of it’s mouth.

“Okay! Okay! You win!” Carter conceded, but reached for the hose that lay just a few inches away. The Timberwolf was too busy sniffing at Carter to notice that Carter’s hand was closing around the nozzle.

“GOTCHA!” Carter yelled and he sprayed the Timberwolf. The wolf yipped and turned in circles, biting at air and water. The humans plus Ox and Robbie leaned over the porch railing to laugh and cheer on either Carter or the wolf. Soon the rest of the Bennett wolves came outside to see what was happening. Elizabeth shook her head and sighed with a fond smile, looking at the fine splatters of mud that now covered the side of her house.

Carter felt a cold splash of water hit his neck and shoulders. He dropped the hose in surprise. Carter whipped his head skyward to see the offending party, Rico, try to cover his shit-eating grin and pass of the now empty glass to Tanner. Bambi giggled next to him and Jessie cackled outright.

“Sorry Papi! But the big guy looked like he needed a hand!” Rico placated, but somehow Carter found it hard to believe Rico was really apologetic. Carter bent to grab the hose once more, and this time he sprayed it at his family. No one was safe from Carter’s water assault. Chris squealed like a baby. Kelly complained that he _just finished showering, Carter! What the fuck!_ Gordo grumbled and growled, but Mark soothed his irritation with a quick cheek kiss as he shook out his blond beard.

“Oh it is so on!” Bambi yelled and descended the steps, Jessie hot on her heels. They both grabbed water pitchers from the outside dinner table and began sloshing them at Carter, lacking a proper defense against the hose. Now the Timberwolf was on Carter’s side, as he ran along behind the women and nudged at the back of their knees in an effort to get them to slosh away their water before they could throw it at Carter.

Behind the water war, Joe nudged Ox and together they snuck out to the garage where water guns had been collecting dust for upwards of five years. They returned, two guns for each of them and began to return fire at Carter and the Timberwolf. Joe handed both of his water guns to Jessie and Bambi and ran back to get more.

“Charge!” the girls yelled in unison, and Carter began to feel a stitch in his side from all the laughter. Ox ducked away from Carter’s hose and accidentally shot water in Gordo’s face. Gordo was most decidedly staying out of it, but that was the final straw. Carter watched as Gordo’s tattoos shimmered and he summoned a large blob of water.

“Run!” Ox shouted and the opposing team giggled as they retreated from Gordo’s water magic. Mark shifted and adopted the same strategy as the Timberwolf. The objective: get the other team to waste as much of their ammo as possible. Carter took a fraction of a second to marvel at the Timberwolf’s new level of comfort with the rest of the pack. He thought about how, at first, the Timberwolf balked at anyone who came close, but now he pranced and tackled the others as if he’d been pack for years.

Soon enough everyone else was joining in. On Carter’s side was the Timberwolf, Mark, Gordo, Robbie, and Tanner. Rico, Bambi, Kelly, Ox, Joe, and Jessie opposed them while Elizabeth, Tanner, and Chris kept everyone in supply of water. Eventually when they were all sopping wet and their jeans chafing uncomfortably, the water fight was called off.

Robbie grinned at Carter and said, “Dude we so totally won!”

Carter had the sneaking suspicion that he had joined Carter’s side against his mate in order to suck up to Carter. He decided he didn’t mind that much and slung his arm around Robbie’s shoulders. Not yet done having fun, Carter leaned over and whispered with a smile, “Break his heart and they won’t be a body to find.”

Robbie gulped and scampered away into the safety of Kelly’s arms, who glowered at his brother. Carter hadn’t bothered to hide his teasing, yet very real, threat. Carter felt the Timberwolf’s teeth bite gently into his hand.

“Yeah, yeah. I see you,” Carter said and rubbed his fingers into the Timberwolf’s damp fur.

___________

The evening air had cooled when the Bennett pack finally sat down to Sunday dinner. Much of the food had turned slightly cold by that point, but no one complained as they all scarfed it down. The Timberwolf lounged under the table at Carter’s feet and pressed its cool wet nose into Carter’s ankle. The conversation had turned to Bambi’s plans for reopening the bar, and for the first time Carter began to feel small waves of green coming off her. She was slowly becoming, and everyone felt it.

Carter took the distraction as an opportunity to steal a piece of chicken from the table and slip it to the Timberwolf, who crunched away gratefully. His mother shared a private smile with him, the same one she gave him when she pretended not to see him sneaking cookie for himself and his brothers as a child.

Carter felt as light as the rays of setting sun peeking through the trees. The feeling of green rebounded through each member of his at pack, and for the first time in a long time Carter was at peace. The evening was so easy that he relaxed into the faint thrumming voice that whispered,

_cartercartercarter_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took so long! My laptop decided to take a nose dive, then school got out of control. Hope you enjoy!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little more angsty for Carter and Timber when Timber has a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 finally! Thank you Lea for being an amazing beta! There is a trigger warning for some mild torture this chapter. (If you read and got through AFTG you'll be fine) Feel free to dm me on tumblr @rxbbiefxntaine if you want more information.

People were screaming.

No.

Just one person.

But their screams reverberated through the ground and trees. Through Carter’s chest, through his mind. Carter didn’t know where he was or why he was there. The woods were misty and unforgiving around him. The darkness lurked around him like a threat. All he knew was that he had to get whoever was screaming. He had to save them. He had to tear apart whoever was hurting them. Carter’s purpose honed into a single fine pinpoint of light guiding him through an unfamiliar world.

Carter followed the cries for what felt like miles until the trees ended abruptly at the edge of a gray lot. In the center of the lot was an industrial looking warehouse. It was too silent. There was no birdsong or whistling wind. The world felt sucked dry of all life. Every nerve in his body whispered _runrunrun_ , but the screams had stopped. So Carter pushed ahead, staying low as he dashed across the barren lot. Carter found a heavy steel door and pulled it open. It screeched and his heart lurched in his chest. Carter strained his ears but heard no boots stampeding to bar his entrance.

Inside hunters lounged around the room polishing various weapons of silver. Carter froze, but no one moved to attack him. Carter took a few steps forward. Again, nothing. He waved his hand in the face of a gruff looking man and snapped his finger near the ear of a greasy looking teenager but received no reaction. Carter was a wraith in the room. Emboldened by his newfound invisibility, Carter ventured deeper into the compound. He crossed paths with several more hunters patrolling the halls but they also passed by Carter, unseeing.

Once again Carter let the sounds of pained cries guide him through the twisting halls until the hall spilled into a large open room. In the room’s center, faceless hunters stood in a loose semi-circle and Elijah loomed over a boy who knelt over a plastic tarp. His hands were locked in silver chains that hung from the ceiling. The tarp was slick with blood. Carter felt his stomach roil and red-tinged the corners of his vision. The boy couldn’t have been more than eighteen. His curly hair was plastered to his head with sweat and roping whip scars marred his torso. A stake of silver was lodged in his shoulder. Fat tears streamed down the boy’s face. Carter was torn between pulling him into his arms and ripping Elijah apart cell by cell.

The boy lifted his head and fixed his eyes on Carter. His eyes, oh god, his eyes. They were the deep violet of an omega too far gone. And yet, rather than the blind rage of an omega, a hundred emotion washed over the boy’s face as he watched Carter. The world titled under Carter’s feet. The boy could see him. The wolf inside him frothed at the mouth. Carter was unmoored, adrift in an ocean of fury. Elijah would pay. She would pay until the ocean washed red with her blood. High pitched ringing overpowered every other sound in the warehouse. The other hunter’s conversations, the boy’s hitching breaths, even the crinkle of the tarp as Elijah stalked were drowned out by the awful ringing. Carter wanted to cover his ears and howl it away, but he could not move, could not look away from the violet-eyed boy before him.

Then Elijah sprang forward and drove a second silver stake through the back of the boy’s thigh. Carter roared, but the boy did not scream this time. Instead, the boy sobbed on word over and over, but Carter could not hear him over his ringing ears. Carter studied him until he realized what the boy was trying to say. It was just one word. A name:

_Carter_

___________

The first thing Carter felt upon waking was the overwhelming coldness where Timber usually slept. Carter was so used to his presence that he couldn’t sleep without the massive wolf snoring softly in his bed.

“T?” Carter called out groggily. Carter strained his ears for the sound of Timber’s breathing but heard nothing. A thread of worry crept into Carter’s chest. It wasn’t unusual for Timber to wake up before him. Carter was decidedly _not_ a morning person. Even then, Carter could always hear Timber moving around downstairs, begging Elizabeth for a strip of bacon or trying to get Ox to play outside with him. But now the dim light of a waning moon drifted through Carter’s bedroom window and the house felt unnaturally still.

Then the dream came back to Carter all at once.

The screams.

 Elijah.

The violet-eyed boy.

A horrible realization hit him with all the subtlety of a gunshot.

Then Carter was out of bed and tearing down the stairs. He stumbled near the bottom and scrambled back up, cursing himself for his clumsiness. The human part of him knew that if Timber was in any real danger the pack bonds would tell him, but his wolf needed to lay eyes on Timber, whole and alive. He needed to tell Timber how sorry he was, how Elijah hadn’t suffered nearly enough. He needed to pull Timber close and keep him _safe, safe, safe._ Carter shifted as he burst out the back door. He caught Timber’s scent and chased it through the woods, howling. Howling and calling to his friend, his pack, his… something.

Because here, as a wolf where everything was simpler, Carter could admit that while he’d been busy griping about the Timberwolf’s presence, Timber had come to mean something to him. A forlorn wolf’s cry answered Carter’s and Carter chased sound and scent through the trees. The forest blurred around him and he was unable to shake off the vivid memory of chasing Timber’s screams through the dream woods. Though Carter moved faster as a wolf, his heart felt as if his paws struggled through molasses as he burst into the clearing.

Carter had never seen Timber look so small as he did curled up at the heart of the clearing. For a heart-pounding moment, he was too still and Carter felt his soul leave his body. But then Timber lifted his head and Carter’s soul returned. Carter approached Timber slowly, afraid of being too much too fast. He was always too much. Too angry, too loud, too arrogant. He didn’t want to be like that with Timber. He wanted to be steady. Carter sniffed at Timber. Usually, any particle of attention from Carter would send Timber into a flurry of activity, but tonight the only response Carter received was a lonesome whine from the back of Timber’s throat.

Carter hesitated, then reached for the pack bonds, stretching his mind down the threads that connected him to Timber. He could feel the blue radiating off of Timber, and Carter did his best to summon every bit of green he could muster and wrap it around Timber with a whisper of _PackFriendLoveSafe._

 _CarterPackMine,_ Timber whispered back and Carter shivered at the mental touch on the bond.

Timber uncurled from himself a bit and Carter realized he was making room for Carter lie down beside him. Purple eyes locked on purple eyes as Carter gave in and folded himself into Timber’s warm side. For once, it was Carter who buried his nose in Timber’s coat and breathed in deeply. As Timber’s scent washed over him, Carter’s heart finally calmed. He would still bring Elijah back just to rip her apart again and again, but Timber smelled of autumn and spices and maple and inexplicably of _home_. It set something to rights inside him.

The two wolves did not sleep or speak again, but, together, watched the stars and moon drift through the sky until the morning light washed them all away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!! Things are ramping up for my boys ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Once Timber’s protectiveness had been a source of deep inconvenience that Carter didn’t understand, but he got it now. Something about that dream, about seeing Timber’s true face had brought them from being he and I into being us and them. Carter had tried to tamp down the aggression in his chest, but it spilled out. He was harsh with his mother without meaning to be. He could not help the growl that escaped when anyone drew too near to Timber. Timber himself was back to his old behavior, cagey and withdrawn. Now though, he cowered and cried if anyone so much as brushed too close to him. Carter wondered just how many memories had been brought to the surface for him. It made Carter’s blood burn.

He thought sparring practice would take the edge off. The humans were all at their day jobs, so it had turned into a wolves-only-practice. Since Timber couldn’t stand to be near anyone else, he and Carter had paired up and fought as wolves. Robbie and Kelly also practiced as wolves as well, but their fight was more playful than practice. To their right, Elizabeth and Mark exchanged blows as humans. On the opposite side of the clearing Ox and Joe surveyed the sparring.

Carter and Timber’s sparing had taken on a more playful air as well and Carter was glad for it. Though they were small, faint waves of green emanated from Timber. Carter nipped at his heels and Timber danced away from him and towards Mark with a yelp that sounded closer to a laugh. Mark, who was dodging a blow from Elizabeth, backed into Timber, tripping over his hulking body. In an instant, Carter had pinned Mark to the ground with his jaws hovering bare centimeters from Mark’s throat. Distantly, Carter heard the pack yelling for him to stop and a part of him recognized that this was his uncle who would never hurt Timber, but it all paled in front of the wolf inside him that sang  _ Protect _ and  _ MineMineMine _ .

It wasn’t that Mark would or had hurt Timber so much as the deep violet pulse of fear that ran through Timber when Mark had tripped over him. The fear of a coming blow, of punishment from a cruel hand. Carter had felt the fear as if it were his own. The cautious relaxation that had been present only seconds ago was wiped from Timber’s demeanor in an instant, and Carter snapped. So long as he was alive, Timber would never again have a reason to be so afraid.

“Carter stop!”

A part of Carter registered the boom of Joe’s voice, but so much of him was lost to the rage. It dragged him down, down, down. A growl tore itself from his chest. His teeth grazed the fine skin of Mark’s throat, touching either side of the raven’s wings. The part of Carter that was not wolf, pulled and struggled to regain control, to shift back, but it felt impossible. 

He was lost

He was lost 

He was lost

Then there was MapleAutumnSpices and a cool wet nose pressing into the shell of his ear. A lick to his cheek. A high insistent whine. 

Kelly pulled at the tether that stretched between them.

_ BotherPackFriendSafeStop _

Carter came back to himself.

He shifted and scrambled away. He hunched over with his head buried in his hands. Timber and Kelly had brought him out of the dark, but his control was still a thinly stretched thing. From the corner of his eye, he saw the look exchanged between Ox and Joe. Mark stared at Carter wide-eyed from where Elizabeth had wrapped around his shoulder. Kelly left Robbie’s side and made his way towards him. Kelly reached for him and Carter stumbled away.

“Mark I-I’m sorry, Mark please,” he rasped. Mark looked away from him, hand on his throat, just over the raven tattoo.

“Carter?”

The uncertainty in Kelly’s voice was a knife in his ears. What was happening to him?

“I – I'm gonna take a walk,” Carter choked out. 

Then he was running, only pausing to slip on the clothes he’d discarded before shifting to spar with TImber. 

Carter ran, desperate to lose himself in the steady, repetitive motion of arm, legs, and lungs. Timber ran beside him and Carter ignored his voice whispering at the edge of his mind. What was happening to him? He hadn’t been that out of control since the height of the omega infection. Carter knew it had to involve Timber, his awful past, and the connection between them. Carter knew of only one person who could possibly help him sort through this. So he changed course and began to jog towards the shop.

 

* * *

 

“Where’s Gordo?”

Tanner winced as Carter slammed into the garage. The few customers waiting all jumped and glared at Carter’s intrusion.

“Christ,” Chris cursed, “He’s in the office man.”

Carter nodded once and ignored their searching gazes and the shocked stares of the customers as they took in Timber when he trotted after Carter. Had Carter been thinking clearly, he would have told Timber to wait outside. 

Gordo was waiting on him, scowl already fixed in place. Carter halted in place. What was he thinking? He had just attacked Gordo’s mate. What was he thinking coming here, expecting that Gordo would help if he asked? His hesitation must have shown because Gordo relented. Slightly.

“Sit down,” Gordo growled. Carter sank into the beat up rolling chair opposite Gordo’s desk. The shame started to sink in again. Gordo kept him fixed in his glare for a few seconds longer before saying, “Wanna tell me what the fuck happened?” 

Carter buried his face in his hands.

“What did they tell you?”

Gordo let out a harsh laugh.

“I wasn’t so much _told_ as _panicked at_ by your mother. The hell were you thinking, running off like that?” he demanded. Carter looked up in surprise.

“You’re not angry?”

He sounded small and he hated it, but Gordo’s face softened, marginally.

“Yeah, I’m pissed but not about Mark. I don’t have that overprotective wolf bullshit the rest of you’ve got. I’m mad that something is going on and you didn’t think it was smart to let anyone know. Attacking Mark, running out of the house at 2 a.m. howling your fool head off –“

“You know about that?”

“Of course!” Gordo snapped, “We’re pack! We all know about it!”

Carter felt his face flush. His family had been the last thing on his mind when he’d chased after Timber that night. 

“Wanna share with the fucking class?” Gordo asked. His tone was still gruff, but concern was painted over his words. Carter let out a shuddering breath and asked,

“Is it possible to walk in someone else’s memories while you dream?”

Gordo sat back in his chair, clearly not expecting this turn in the conversation.

“Yes,” he said, the words dragging their way out, “But it’s rare and usually only possible with ma- in certain circumstances.”

“What was that?” Cater eyed him suspiciously. Gordo was not one to stumble over his words. Gordo cursed under his breath.

“Do you really not know?” 

Carter felt like an anvil was looming over his head, like the Looney Toon cartoons he and Kelly watched early in the morning as kids. His stomach clenched. 

Gordo sighed, “The dream walking is only possible between mates.”

Carter blinked.

“The Timberwolf is you mate.”

 

* * *

 

Before he could truly process, Carter was flying from his seat to the makeshift junkyard behind the shop. 

_ No _ . 

_ nononononono _

_ NO _

Carter ached. He felt the truth of Gordo’s words, though he wanted to deny them. It made too much sense, he and Timber. He knew the blue radiating off of him was a near-tangible thing. He didn’t bother to mute it. It was too huge. Tears blurred Carter’s vision and he wiped them away furiously. His chest heaved a bit. He was bordering on hysterical. Carter let out a strangled laugh. He deserved a moment to be hysterical.

_ Mates. _

It was so  _ unfair _ . Losing his father, leaving for so long, becoming omega, now his mate was going to be lost to his wolf if he couldn’t turn back.  _ His mate _ , whose name he didn’t even know, yet a part of him loved anyway.  _ His mate _ , who had been tortured and God knew what else for so long. Becoming an omega hadn’t been a choice for either of them, but they should have at least had  _ a chance _ . 

_ CarterCarterCarter _ , Timber sang, and it hurt. 

One moment, he was standing still, and the next there was a rusted crowbar in his hand and it was sailing through the window of an old car. It felt good, felt right, and he let the crowbar fly again and again and again. And when the impact of the crowbar was not enough, and he started kicking and beating the car with his fists.

His body rebelled at the pain ricocheting through his knuckles, but he couldn’t, wouldn’t, stop. Carter didn’t know how long he bellowed and cried and threw himself against the car but after a while strong arms wrapped around his shoulders. For a wild moment, hope tore through his chest, hoping Timber had changed back, that he was the one holding Carter together as he finally let himself crumble.

“It’s okay. We’re going to fix this, I promise,” Gordo whispered fiercely. 

Carter wanted to believe him.

 

* * *

Everyone gave Carter and Timber a wide berth in the following days, but that may have also been because Carter barely left his room. He couldn’t sleep, and when he did snippets of the memory-dream washed through his mind. Timber’s screams and visions of his tortured face rocked him to the core as much as the first time he experienced them. 

When Carter couldn’t find the strength to get up, he lied facing Timber and stroked his fingers through his thick fur. Often, Timber whined and paced the room. Carter knew he craved the fresh air and sunshine, but he never left Carter’s side. Sometimes Carter would tell Timber stories.

He told Timber about the house in Maine, closer to Canada than any American metropolis and only a day’s drive to a rocky beach where he and Kelly would chase seagulls off the cold sand. In shuddering breaths, he told him about losing Joe and how, though his parents did know, he’d heard every bit of the phone calls from Richard Collins. What a miracle it had been, to hear Joe speak again, dragging Ox into their world with more vibrancy than Carter had ever seen from his youngest brother. He talked about how much Timber would have loved Thomas, how Thomas would have known how to help them. He spoke until his voice was raw from over-use.

Jessie let him wallow like that for three days.

On the fourth day, she burst through the door and strode to his window throwing open the curtains with determination. Carter hissed at the sudden light. Timber sat up from his place beside Carter, merely blinking at Jessie.

“Pity party time is up,” she declared. Carter glared.

“Fuck off Jessie. This is none of your business.”

It was her turn to glare now. 

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe you being too depressed to leave the bed is not my problem, but it won’t solve anything for either of you.”

“I’m not depressed!” Carter exclaimed. Jessie’s face softened as she perched on the edge of his bed, but there was no pity in it.

“I know this is hard,” she began, “but Gordo promised to help and he can’t do that if you stay here. Nothing can change like this.”

She was right. She usually was. But that didn’t stop the burn at the back of his throat and eyes at the thought of having to face the world again. 

“He’s my mate,” he whispered, blinking away watering eyes. Timber licked his cheek where one tear escaped. Jessie looked to the ground but reached for his hand.

“I’m not a wolf, I’ll never have a mate, but there has to be an answer. We brought Mark back, we brought you back from the omega infection. Gordo will find a way.”

Carter sniffed, “Y’know you sound kinda smart sometimes. Should be a teacher or something.”

They both huffed wet laughs. Jessie rolled her eyes and stood, turning to Carter’s dresser. She began pulling out clothes and throwing them at Carter. 

“Hey!” he snapped as a pair of boxers hit him in the face. Timber huffed low in his chest, and Carter realized the wolf was laughing at him. 

“Where do you keep your deodorant? You fucking smell, dude.”

Carter sputtered indignantly. Timber shuffled off the bed and Jessie paused. Ha, Carter thought, Timber would chase her out and he could go back quiet dark.  Instead, Timber gently took her hand in his mouth and pulled her towards the bathroom in the hall. 

Jessie grinned at him and said, “A shower would be better, Timber, you genius.” 

“Traitor!” Carter called after them, but he still followed them to the sound of the shower being turned on. For the first time in days, he felt something like hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whats up yall chapter 4 is (finally) here and i made myself emo writing it so i hope you liked it!

**Author's Note:**

> I love these idiots too much


End file.
